Michigan hockey handles Minnesota, 2-1, in a Big Ten semifinal
Michigan hockey appears to have saved its best for the postseason. The Wolverines dominated play for most of the game and beat Minnesota, 2-1, in a Big Ten semifinal Saturday night in Minneapolis. It’s the third straight year U-M has gotten the better of the Golden Gophers on their home ice — the last two were for Big Ten championships.
This one sends the Wolverines to Michigan State to play the No. 1 seed Spartans, winners over Ohio State, for the Big Ten title next Saturday in East Lansing. It also puts the Wolverines at 100 percent to make the NCAA Tournament according to the College Hockey News pairwise predictor.
Minnesota was buzzing early and tested goalie Jake Barczewski in the the first few minutes before Michigan got into a groove. When they did, the Wolverines took control and played one of their best games of the season, controlling the puck and barely giving the Golden Gophers room to move. Minnesota actually outshot U-M 10-7 in the first period, but Michigan had the better chances and scored the only goal of the period. Kienan Draper picked up a careless rebound given up by Gophers’ goaltender Justen Close and put it between his pads only 3:12 into the game to give U-M the 1-0 lead.
The Wolverines dominated face-offs in the period, 14-6, on the way to an impressive 36-20 advantage for the game.
“We played winning hockey,” Michigan coach Brandon Naurato told reporters. “It’s a tough place to play against a really good team, really good staff. We just (got) pucks behind them playing the right way. We didn’t beat ourselves — just championship hockey.”
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U-M took full control in the second period, owning the Gophers end to end. They outshot them, 17-5, and spent much of the period in the Minnesota end. But it was a breakout that led to the second goal. Marshall Warren hit a streaking Gavin Brindley over the red line — he broke in on the right side and snapped a nasty wrist shot over Close’s right shoulder into the top left of the net to make it 2-0 with only 1:24 remaining in the second period.
“Just (a) gamebreaking play,” Naurato said. “Nothing really going on, he gets a rush chance, quick neutral zone play and he buries it. That’s what guys like Gavin do.”
Barczewski, meanwhile, handled everything thrown at him until 1:29 remained in the game. Jimmy Snuggerud beat him over the left shoulder with the extra attacker on the ice to make it interesting, but that would be it. Michigan played great defense the rest of the way and punched a ticket to the finals once again.
Draper was the game’s first start, with Brindley No. 2. Barczewski stopped 23 of 24 shots in the victory.
